


coming clean

by ghosthunter



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not Hockey Players, Coming Out, M/M, well gudas isn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 04:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21385753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghosthunter/pseuds/ghosthunter
Summary: Alex had expectations for what that someone would be, and it wasn’t for that someone to be nearly as tall as Jonas, or way more bearded than Jonas, or significantly older than Jonas.
Relationships: Radko Gudas/Jonas Siegenthaler
Comments: 14
Kudos: 119





	coming clean

**Author's Note:**

> ty to llwyncelyn for indulging my most gremlin-like tendencies and to sunshinexbomb for beta as always. and thanks to whoever left the prompt on the kinkmeme like three years ago that inspired this.

He finds the rookie standing in the hallway looking nervously at his phone instead of out on the ice. Almost everyone else is out on the ice with their kids and their wives and girlfriends, but here’s the rookie. Hiding.

Alex is on his way back out to the ice, and he throws an arm around the kid. “Come skate with us,” he says. “It’s okay if you don’t have someone here. You can help us pull the kids around.”

Jonas looks at him, his phone clutched in his hand. “It’s just. Customs, you know? Apparently customs at Dulles is really bad, and we couldn’t find a better flight that worked for both of our schedules, and - “

“She’ll get here,” Alex tells him, trying to go for soothing. It’s clear that Jonas is freaking out about his girlfriend being stuck at the airport and not here, with him, when everyone else has someone. “Come skate,” Alex says.

Jonas obediently follows him out onto the ice, stuffing his phone in the pocket of his sweatshirt. Alex hands him the rope of one of the sleds. Jonas skates off, towing one of the kids behind him as the kid yells for him to go faster, and Alex glides over to where his own wife is skating with their son.

Someone’s phone starts ringing and Alex looks over in time to see Jonas stop so hard he snows Vrana and makes him yelp, the sled skittering to a stop next to them.

“Bro,” Vrana says, protesting, but Jonas is pulling his phone out. Alex is too far away to hear what he says, but he’s already in motion toward the edge of the rink and off and gone. Alex is happy for him.

Everything on the rink grinds to a stop when Jonas comes back. Well, everyone old enough to understand what’s happening stops. They stop, they turn, and they watch as he comes onto the ice at almost a run, pulling someone by the hand.

It’s just that - Alex had expectations for what that someone would be, and it wasn’t for that someone to be nearly as tall as Jonas, or way more bearded than Jonas, or significantly older than Jonas. The only noise is the shrieking of the kids as they play on the ice oblivious to the adults whispering around them.

Alex is the one who has to bite the bullet and skate over to where Jonas is skating slowly backward as he’s regaled with the story of Customs at Dulles.

“Introduce us,” Alex says, but it comes out more like a demand, which he doesn’t mean it to. Nicke glides up beside them, his son balanced on one hip.

Jonas looks at them for a second, and it’s clear he’s nervous. “Alex Ovechkin,” he says, gesturing to Alex. “And Nicklas Backstrom.” He gestures toward Nicke.

“Nice to meet you,” the very large beard says, extending his hand. Nicke’s hands are busy, so it’s Alex who reaches out to take it.

“This is Radko. My - “ Jonas stops, like he’s trying to think of the word. “Partner.”

“Partner,” Nicke repeats in a flat tone.

“Boyfriend,” Radko says easily, and Jonas edges his skates so that he’s closer to Radko. Alex suddenly realizes that this is their rookie’s way of coming out to them. Alex thinks it’s a pretty good way to do it, all things considered. Jumping in with both feet. Trusting that the team will accept him anyway.

Alex is going to have his work cut out for him making sure that Jonas feels comfortable in the locker room after this.

“It’s nice to meet you, as well,” Alex finally says, breaking the tension.

“It’s good to finally meet you guys,” Radko says, swinging Jonas’s hand in his just a little where he’s holding onto it. “Last season I didn’t come out because we weren’t sure where he’d be, even though I wouldn’t have cared if I had to follow him back to Hershey.”

“They don’t want to hear that,” Jonas says, ducking his head and leaning into Radko just a little bit. “Besides, Hershey’s boring, you would have hated it.”

“You would’ve been there,” Radko says, his tone fond as he turns to look at Jonas. Jonas makes a face at him.

“You’d just started your new job, anyway,” Jonas says.

“What do you do?” Nicke asks, and Alex thinks he’s glad for the transition, for the opportunity to learn more about this man.

“I’m a trainer with ZSC, now,” Radko tells them. Alex remembers that ZSC is the team out of Zurich, where Jonas played before he came to the NHL. “It’s my second season with them, and I shouldn’t do it but I took a leave of absence to be here.” He doesn’t say, ‘with Jonas,’ but he looks at Jonas after he says it.

Alex’s heart is melting a little bit.

“Did you meet through playing hockey?” Nicke asks. His son is squirming, so Nicke puts him down and he stomps off across the ice toward where the other kids are.

Alex recognizes the suspicious tone in Nicke’s voice. This guy is a lot older than Jonas, who is only 22. They’re only looking out for him. Keeping him safe.

“I don’t play anymore,” Radko says. “I was already working as a trainer when we met. With the Czech National Team.”

Nicke looks at Alex, and Alex wonders if Nicke is gritting his teeth. He’s pretty sure he is.

“At - “ Alex says, slowly.

“WJC,” Jonas says, ducking his head down. So he knows how things look: a much older man, and Jonas would have been a teenager the last time he was at WJC. And if Jonas is ashamed of it… “I was nineteen, for the record.”

“What?” Nicke says, and gives a forced laugh.

“You wouldn’t be the first person to - to think it wasn’t what it is. To think - “ Jonas sighs. “My parents weren’t happy about it either. But it’s what I want. Not anyone else.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Nicke says.

“I’m not a kid,” Jonas says stubbornly. Alex gets the feeling he’s said that to people a few times before. And it’s true, Alex thinks. He knows that Jonas is serious and mature for 22 - especially compared to the mess Alex knows he was at 22. Or the mess Nicke was at 22.

“Hey,” Radko says, looking at Jonas.

“We’re here to have a good time,” Alex breaks in, not sure how to ease the tension. “We’re gonna skate and then we’re gonna go to the party.”

Radko leans in and kisses the end of Jonas’s nose, ensuring that he can’t keep frowning. Jonas smiles at him and Nicke sighs softly. Alex gets it - he knows that he and Nicke are going to have to have a conversation about this later, just because of what it looks like. Alex wants to think that this is on the up and up, because Jonas is so happy to have Radko there. He doesn’t want to think that this guy - who does seem nice - is grooming his rookie.

He doesn’t want to make things weirder, and for Jonas, coming out is probably enough for one day.

Everyone is getting ready to leave when Nicke comes up to him.

“So,” Nicke says. “That was weird.”

“It’s okay,” Alex says. “He chose to do this, and he knew there would be people taking photos. So I think it’s okay if he wants to be out. We just have to make sure that he doesn’t get any blow-back from the team, and - “

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Nicke says, crossing his arms.

“He seems happy,” Alex says. “Not like he’s being forced into anything.”

Nicke makes an annoyed noise that Alex is very familiar with.

“I’ll try and talk to him tonight,” Alex says. “I assume that Jonas is bringing him?”

Nicke sighs. “I guess. I’ll make sure none of the other guys are shitty.”

Alex is in the parking garage downstairs and walks past Jonas’s car, where both he and Radko are sitting inside. Alex tries to pretend that he’s not looking, but he totally looks. It’s sweet, the way Radko cups Jonas’s cheek as they kiss. He taps the back of the car and makes them jump apart. Jonas glares at him through the back window, but he can hear Radko laughing.

People are starting to show up to dinner and the party, and Nicke’s been texting Alex non-stop all afternoon as he’s been talking to their other teammates. Braden stops next to him.

“You know, I don’t care if he’s gay,” Braden says, his voice quiet. “But I don’t know about how old this guy is.”

“Maybe he’s not as old as we think he is,” Alex says. “Maybe he’s like Conno and he just looks older than he is.”

“Maybe,” Braden says, but he looks skeptical. “It’s just that when you’re young and you want something sometimes people take advantage of you.”

“You sound like Backy,” Alex says.

“We talked about it,” Braden says.

“Maybe we should stop talking to each other about it and talk to Siegs about it,” Alex says.

Jonas is late, and comes dragging in hand in hand with Radko after everyone has already sat down to dinner. They slip into seats down the table from Alex, and when they order drinks Jonas’s arm comes to rest over the back of Radko’s chair.

“So wait,” Jakub says during the meal, like it’s struck him suddenly. “If your boyfriend is Czech, do you, like. Understand Czech?”

“More than you probably want me to,” Jonas says, grinning at him. 

Alex likes that the rookie seems loose, smiling more. He knows that Jonas trained himself out of smiling with his mouth open after he got his teeth knocked out, and even now that he has fake ones, he still doesn’t smile all the way. He’s smiling all the way now.

The next thought Alex has is that the kid probably got laid before coming out to the party, and then Alex wishes he hadn’t had that realization.

It’s not until the party gets into full swing and people start breaking into smaller groups and talking about karaoke that Alex manages to corner Radko to talk to him. Jonas is sitting at a different table with Tyler and Jakub, and Tyler’s telling a story that involves a lot of hand movements. Both Jakub and Jonas are laughing wildly.

Radko is chatting with Michal when Alex comes over. It turns out, Radko and Michal actually know each other from a long time before when Radko still played hockey. The fact that Michal knows him makes Alex feel a little better about things, but not by much.

“I want to hear the whole story about how you met Jonas,” Alex asks, plopping down into a seat across from Radko. He sees one of Michal’s eyebrows go up, and out of the corner of his eye he can see Braden coming their way.

“Because you’re trying to figure out if it’s weird and creepy?” Radko shoots back.

Few things have the ability to stun Alex into silence, but this does.

“Uh,” Alex says.

“We’re just looking out for him,” Braden says, taking a seat next to Alex. “Like you want to make sure no one’s taking advantage of your little brother.”

“First of all,” Radko says. “I don’t think I’m as old as you think I am.”

“Because you look 35?” Alex asks.

“Wait, really?” Radko asks. “I don’t look that old. Come on.”

Alex stares at him. Alex is familiar with looking older than he really is.

“I’m not even 30,” Radko says, frowning. “Is it the beard? Does the beard age me?”

“Might be trying to keep up with a 22 year old,” Braden says.

“Oh no, I do that just fine,” Radko says.

“I’m leaving now,” Michal says, but doesn’t actually get up.

“So I’m not as old as you think I am,” Radko says very pointedly, frowning now.

“So how did you get together? Since it was at WJC,” Braden says.

“Have you ever tried to turn down a horny 19 year old who’s decided that you’re absolutely what he wants?” Radko asks. “Because I tried. He wore me down.”

“He came onto you?” Alex asks.

“You sound surprised,” Radko says. “Surely you’ve known him long enough that you’ve figured out how stubborn he can be.”

Braden laughs.

“Believe me, I worried about it,” Radko says. “Because I was there as a trainer and he was on one of the teams. And we’ve gotten a lot of judgement, either because of the age difference, or because we’re gay - or well, he’s gay. I’m not.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Alex says.

“Bisexual, Ovi,” Braden says helpfully. Alex closes his eyes. It’s too much.

“So if you’re going to give me a shovel talk, that’s fine,” Radko says.

“I feel like we should be apologizing,” Braden says. “For maybe jumping to conclusions.”

“I get it. You’re trying to protect him,” Radko says. “But you’re trying to protect him from the wrong thing.”

“They took pictures today,” Alex says.

“He’ll be out, not just to the team,” Radko says. “And I can’t be here all the time for him, when it’s hard. And it’s going to be.”

“We’ll make sure he’s okay,” Alex says. Braden is nodding. Alex isn’t sure how this got away from being a shovel talk, but it’s a long way from that now. Or Radko is giving them one, in the end.

Oblivious to the conversation, Evgeny appears behind them. “Karaoke!” he yells at them, putting his face right in Alex’s face.

Radko is laughing as Alex throws himself to his feet to chase after Evgeny, who is fleeing the scene of his crimes.

Alex is a little tipsy by the time the party is starting to break up.

He’s making his rounds, saying good night to everyone, making sure all the guys remember they get to sleep in in the morning because it’s a day off. He’s pretty sure he didn’t see Jonas leave, but he definitely can’t seem to find him anywhere.

“Where’s the rook?” Alex asks, pushing past Nicke near the bathroom.

“I think he went out on the patio? I don’t blame him, honestly, it’s hot as fuck in here,” Nicke says. “Why?”

“I wanted to talk to him before I left,” Alex says.

“I’m heading out too,” Nicke says. “Are you going to talk to him about - you know.”

“I don’t think we need to?” Alex says. “I think we just have to let it be his personal life.”

“I just worry - “ Nicke starts.

“If it’s a mistake, then it’s a mistake,” Alex says. “But I don’t know if saying anything will help? What would you have done at that age if someone told you they weren’t sure about someone you were dating?”

“Dig my heels in,” Nicke says, and sighs.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Alex says, turning away.

“Night,” Nicke says.

There’s a patio off the party room they’re in, lit by globe lights and secluded by vines and trellises. They’ve had parties that have spilled out onto it, but it’s too cold for that tonight.

Jonas is out there, but he’s with Radko sitting on one of the wrought iron benches that live there year round. Well, Radko is sitting on it. Jonas is half on Radko’s lap, his forearms rested on Radko’s shoulders as they kiss. Radko’s got his hands slipped up the back of Jonas’s shirt, and Alex can see bare skin.

He clears his throat loudly.

They startle and jerk apart, and Jonas almost falls on the ground before he’s on his feet and stepping away, his hand over his mouth. He’s not looking at Alex.

“I uh,” Alex says, because he didn’t actually mean to interrupt them, but he also can’t allow a precedent of letting his rookies hook up in a public place. “I wanted to remind you there’s no practice tomorrow. And also say that I’m leaving.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Radko says, standing up from the bench and coming toward Alex. He reaches out and pulls Jonas in against him, who is still not looking at Alex in embarrassment.

“Likewise,” Alex says. “I’m sure if you’re around for a while we’ll see each other again.”

“I’m here for two weeks. I’ll be at a couple of games,” Radko says.

Jonas sighs and laces his fingers through Radko’s. “Sorry,” he says to Alex. “For - well, I know this is going to be trouble for all of us, but I couldn’t stand it anymore.”

“You’re fine,” Alex says. “We take care of each other. Just don’t make out in public.”

“Oh God,” Jonas says and ducks his head down as Radko laughs. “It wasn’t in public.”

“It’s kind of in public,” Radko says. He gives Jonas a look that Alex can’t help but interpret as both of them are into it being in public. Alex needs to leave, immediately.

“I’ll see you later this week,” he says, and goes.

Of course, it comes up at practice two days later.

“So are we going to talk about it?” Jakub asks.

“About what?” Braden says, his voice careful and neutral.

“You know, about - “ Jakub starts. Alex wouldn’t have expected Jakub to have an issue with this, but he sighs and stands up.

“We’re not going to have a discussion about anyone’s sexuality,” Alex says. “And if you have a problem with it, you can come and talk to me. But you shouldn’t have a problem with it.”

“And I’m going to be very disappointed with you if you do,” Nicke says, his voice low. He doesn’t even look up from where he’s taping his socks.

“No, not - I don’t give a fuck about that,” Jakub says. “I just mean - “

“Is this when we’re going to talk about Siegs’s obvious daddy kink?” Tyler asks. “Because -”

“What the fuck, man?” Jonas says, whipping his sock at Tyler. “Shut the fuck up.”

“Deny it!” Tyler says. “You can’t! I live with you!”

“Wait, Lewy, did you know about - “ someone else starts.

“Yes!” Tyler shouts. “Hope you never have to have a room next to his because he’s noisier than literally anyone I’ve ever heard!”

Alex is trying to stifle a laugh. He doesn’t want to laugh about this in front of them, because it’s a stupid conversation they shouldn’t even be having, but he has to admit that the idea of their quiet, serious rookie being unbearably loud in bed is pretty funny.

“Fuck off,” Jonas says. “You don’t know shit.”

“No?” Tyler says. “You think I didn’t google what you call him? You want to try and explain to me how Ta-” 

Jonas lurches out of his stall to try and put his hand over Tyler’s mouth. They end up on the floor, Jonas pinning Tyler to the floor, with Tyler licking Jonas’s palm where it’s smashed over his mouth.

“Gross, fuck,” Jonas says, jerking his hand away and flopping over to the side, glaring at Tyler. “You can’t just lick a guy.”

“You can if he’s got his hand over your mouth!” Tyler yells back.

“Kids,” Nicke says.

“I just mean,” Jakub yells. “That it’s pretty fucked up not to tell me you speak Czech.”

“I don’t,” Jonas says, still sitting on the floor in front of his stall.

“You said you knew more than I would want!” Jakub protests.

“I said I understand more than you want me to,” Jonas says. “I don’t actually speak it. Also, maybe you shouldn’t just go around saying things you don’t want people to know.”

“They were private conversations!” Jakub says.

“You were in the locker room,” Jonas says.

“Can we put all of them in time out?” John asks.

“Yeah,” Alex says.

“Each of you go stand in the corner,” Nicke says.

None of them move. Jonas has gone back to putting on his socks.

“I mean it!” Nicke yells at them. Tyler scrambles up off the floor and heads toward one of the corners.

“Lewy - no, he doesn’t mean it,” Alex says. He nudges Nicke. “Fucking stop.”

“They’re annoying me,” Nicke whines at him.

“Can we all just finish getting dressed and get out on the ice?” Braden asks.

He has impeccable timing, because Todd bursts through the doors right at that moment. “Are we all looking to skate laps today?” He demands. “Get the fuck out on the ice!”

They all scramble to finish dressing and hit the rink.

**Author's Note:**

> on twitter @ notedgoon


End file.
